SOTA c59s01
Text Cheshire was a conundrum. After only a few hours passed, it was like he had forgotten completely about the fight they had gone through: no, more than that, if was like he forgot about Thesis, and that he had been the enemy of these ponies, and everything he had been sent here to do. Not even Celestia could tell precisely why, either: Cheshire seemed so damaged and animal that he lived by instinct and whatever was going on right at the present moment in time, but considering how much he had been torn apart and mutilated, it was very possible his brain no longer functioned like theirs. Or maybe... just maybe... beneath all the growling and whispering of old poems and everything else, there was still a spark of intelligence buried inside him. Cheshire seemed harmless now, though: well, he clearly could put a pony in a world of hurt if he wanted to, but he acted almost meek around the ponies, and spent much of his time at the library pawing books out of the shelves so he could open them and stare down at them. It was hard to tell whether he was reading them or not: sometimes he turned the pages, other times he just seemed to gaze at the same random page the book flipped open to for the longest time. Twilight didn't want Cheshire around, but also refused to leave herself. Cheshire, at least, didn't require much herding: he wandered around the library a little, walked into the corridor, but it seemed like he didn't even remember how to open any of the doors, and Scrivener sitting on the stairs was enough to deter him from trying to go up them. That, and the sounds that came every now and then from upstairs seemed to make him uneasy. Luna also couldn't help but test how Cheshire reacted to noise by slamming her hooves against the ground while the behemoth had been absorbed in one of his books, and the creature had yelped and scuttled hurriedly around the room, while Scrivener had sighed tiredly and glared over at Luna. But the sapphire mare had only grinned, then sniffed disdainfully and said mildly: “I am very merciful, Scrivener Blooms. I have let this creature live, in spite of what it has done. That does not mean I am not going to be mean to it.” Scrivener only gave her a sour look, while Cheshire poked his head out from behind the table uneasily, shivering a little. The charcoal stallion himself found he didn't have much anger left for the mutilated pony, though... not after what Thesis had said, not after seeing how broken and animal Cheshire was. He knew what it was like to be someone's slave, after all. And after what they had seen, it was clear that Cheshire had never wanted to hurt anyone: it had been Thesis' threats, torture, and orders that had driven the poor beast into attacking them. When Celestia had returned, Cheshire had stared at her warily, until Sleipnir had stumbled his way in with the Pink Twins in tow. His booming voice, his big movements terrified Cheshire at first, and the Replicant knocked books from the shelves as he bounced off the walls, looking for someplace to hide as Celestia sighed tiredly and glared at her little brother, who looked confused and a little hurt. Finally, Cheshire skittered past Luna and into the corridor before turning around and half-hiding behind her. Luna rolled her eyes, but then looked surprised when Celestia murmured: “I don't know if we can help this creature, Luna. Cheshire can't stay here, with so many ponies around, and you clearly can't let him roam the Everfree Forest or around your home. He can't be in public...” “I... I have kind of an idea.” spoke up Pinkie Pie, raising a hoof, and all eyes turned to her. For a moment, Pinkie hesitated, biting her lip... but when Pinkamena nodded grudgingly to her, the earth pony mare brightened visibly before bouncing a little and saying firmly: “CIMH. Where I used to go... I bet they could take care of him!” Celestia frowned at this, then she slowly looked over at Cheshire and said after a moment: “Well... it would be better than the dungeons, and maybe he could get treatment there that could... help him.” She studied Cheshire, watching as he slowly began to creep forwards past Luna, as the sapphire mare visibly fought to resist smacking the large pony almost crawling past her nervously to study the strangers. “He's much more damaged than I thought he would be.” Scrivener nodded a little, and Sleipnir softened, murmuring: “Aye. This is not a malady the likes of which we are any good at healing... but perhaps the better of us can find a way to heal this poor, damaged creature. What of Zecora, the shaman, does thou think she knows any remedy of the earth that could aid this beast's mind?” “I'll ask her. But I'll get in touch with CIMH first...” Celestia turned her eyes to Cheshire, studying the creature as its eyes were drawn to an open book, and it picked this up to assume that strange, possibly-reading, possibly-just-staring position. “His behavior suggests... there's still something in there, at least. Or there was once... I wonder... who he was before Valthrudnir and Thesis got to him. Scrivener Blooms, any clues at all?” The stallion made a face as he looked up, then he hesitated before closing his eyes and taking a slow breath as he mentally searched for Valthrudnir... and was rewarded only moments later by the Jötnar's quiet laughter through his mind. You see? I've made you two powerful, plebeian, even if I... disagree with your choice in this matter. Your mercy will destroy you one day. “Well, I'd rather die than be like you anyway, so just answer the question.” Scrivener muttered mentally, and Valthrudnir snorted in distaste in his mind, and the silence spiraled out for a few moments. The stallion was just about to give up on getting an answer before he twitched and gritted his teeth as he felt something strange tickle through his brain, followed by an image of Valthrudnir reaching into some kind of machine and a sound of sparks and- Scrivener's eyes opened wide, but they didn't see the library... instead, he was staring off into some kind of archive, where two ponies who had sold their services for a handful of bits each were holding down a third with a shaggy violet mane and tail, his terrified purple eyes staring up at the dragon in the pristine white suit as he approached with a large syringe filled with black ooze. The earth pony trembled in terror, shaking his head wildly, his robes hanging loose around him as he whimpered: “P-Please... please... please don't... oh no, please don't... please let me live...” “Oh, you'll live, Riordan. But I can think of a much more fitting job for you than hiding up in your tower all day with all these old records and poetry and plays... these are far too complex things for your race to truly understand or value.” Valthrudnir said softly, and then he smiled coldly as he lowered the needle, and the pony who would become Cheshire trembled as the Jötnar said softly: “You'll live. I have many uses for you in mind.” The needle plunged into the pony's neck, and he gargled, before screaming as the blackness began to spread through his coat like rot... and a moment later, Scrivener clenched his eyes shut, and then he was back in reality, gasping for breath before looking up and shivering once while all eyes stared at him and Luna reached up to silently touch her own mouth, as Valthrudnir explained in a dangerous, self-satisfied voice: He was the first Replicant, taken back when I was running my experiments in one of these pathetic little mirror worlds... I spent many years there, gathering data, enjoying myself. And sometimes, I still miss that game I played... oh, yes, it was long, but so worthwhile. Your stupid Princess Celestia, did you know she thought I loved her? That I was some benevolent force from Heaven? And do you know how easy it was to make her submit by my words alone when the game was over, and the time to wipe out that world had arrived? Scrivener didn't want to imagine it. He felt ill to his stomach, shaking his head slowly and forcing the thoughts away before he looked up, ignoring the looks from the others for a moment as he said quietly: “Riordan.” Cheshire twitched at this, looking up curiously, the creature's eyes focusing on Scrivener Blooms. The stallion swallowed a little, then he repeated the name, slowly, carefully: “Riordan.” Cheshire cocked its head, then rubbed at its... no, his own face, looking curious as he tried to understand what Scrivener was saying... maybe tried to understand why he couldn't help but react to that name. There was silence for a moment, and then Scrivener tried quietly: “Cheshire.” The creature responded much more to this, half-turning warily towards Scrivener but bowing his head uneasily at the same time, as if he was scared of his own name. Scrivener sighed a little at this, bowing his head forwards before he murmured: “What does that tell you, Celestia? He was... a historian or literary expert or something once, something like a scribe. His name was Riordan, and... Valthrudnir injected him with the corruption. One of the first forms of it... and after that, he just...” Scrivener was pretty sure he could figure out how the story went from there, shaking his head slowly as he rubbed at his features uneasily, and Celestia sighed a little as she turned her eyes towards the Replicant. She studied him for a few moments, then shook her own head before looking over her shoulder at Pinkie Pie, who was gazing with sympathy at the mutilated Replicant... and surprisingly, there was a hint of that same expression on her dark twin's face as well. “Do you honestly believe that CIMH has the capability to look after him?” “Well, I mean... I don't think they could stop him if he went on a rampage and all, he's kind of huge and stuff, but they helped me a lot. And they can keep him somewhere quiet, where he can start getting used to ponies little-by-little. And the last time I was there, they still had good ponies on staff.” Pinkie Pie smiled after a moment, looking up at Celestia and nodding hesitantly once. “I think they could help him. I hope so. Look at him, he... deserves help. He looks like he hasn't smiled in years.” Cheshire was pawing at a book, carefully turning the pages as he mumbled under his breath to himself, and Luna sighed softly before she glowered as Sleipnir slowly began to stride forwards. For all his size, he moved with surprising grace, tiptoeing carefully step-by-step towards Cheshire, and the creature didn't look up until Sleipnir was almost in front of him. The Replicant gave one of his half-whimpers, half-growls, shrinking back, but Sleipnir only smiled benevolently down at the tortured pony before he carefully reached a hoof out and gently, childishly petted Cheshire's head. The tortured creature shifted uneasily at this, eyes flicking back and forth, and then Luna sighed softly and said dryly: “'Tis not something thou can just adopt, Sleipnir. 'Tis no pet and 'tis no child. 'Tis... well, it should not surprise me that 'tis another damnable poet.” Scrivener gave Luna a flat look, and Sleipnir chuckled quietly before he smiled down at Cheshire, who continued to look uneasy even as Sleipnir said gently: “We are friends here. Friends. None of us shall harm thee, worry not, little friend.” Celestia shook her head, but then turned her eyes towards Pinkamena, asking calmly: “Will you please go to Subterra, and ask Selene-” “Nay, do not fetch Selene. Selene will do nothing but torment the poor soul further, and I do not want Cheshire in Subterra, anyway.” Luna said firmly, and Celestia looked up in surprise. “My servants are loyal and good, but what will be there for him but a cell, and a barrage of emotions, and demons that do not always remember sympathy? Nay, Pinkamena, instead.... instead, fetch Burning Desire, and perhaps thine own daughter. Let us give Cheshire the support of other freaks like ourselves, shall we?” Pinkamena grunted, then shrugged a little and finally nodded before Celestia asked with a slight smile: “Then, at my sister's insistence, could you instead talk to Rosewood or Scutum? They can get in contact with CIMH, and have them send someone here to assess Cheshire as soon as possible.” The demon nodded after a moment, before she scowled at Pinkie Pie as her twin poked her a few times. “Ask for Dr. Socrates, he's old but still working there, and you remember how good he was with us, right Lemon Drop? And you should definitely see if-” “No.” Pinkamena said flatly, and Pinkie Pie huffed before Pinkamena added sourly: “And good, right. I remember just how good he was. He and those other pansies sure as hell didn't stop me from kicking everyone's flank on the way out to the palace. And by the way, Princess Sunshine, you still owe me a rematch sometime. I bet I could make you cry.” Celestia only smiled slightly at this, and then Sleipnir giggled childishly as his eyes gleamed. “Now what a sight that would be! My big sister and beloved phoenix locked in the fires of combat... but I must warn thee, my beloved, my beloved older sibling has a tendency to become excited during the fray, which I suppose does run in our strange family...” Luna rolled her eyes as Celestia gave Sleipnir a flat look, before Pinkamena said mildly: “So you're saying she's probably a better lay than you as well as a better fighter?” “Blasphemy!' Sleipnir shouted, and Cheshire squawked, leaping to his broken hooves before plainly defying physics as he leapt up onto the shelves, scrabbling over them all the way to the ceiling before simply vanishing from sight, leaving only his eyes and teeth visible as he hung upside-down from the roof somehow. Scrivener and Luna both gaped, as even Celestia looked up with surprise, while Pinkie Pie's eyes went round as plates. Sleipnir, meanwhile, had his back turned, and Pinkamena was only grinning at his cluelessness as he declared: “I have pleased more mares and stallions than my sisters combined, and 'twould far more than equal them in bed or battlefield! In fact, my might is so great that even with their forces combined, they could not hope to assail me, no matter where we warred!” Luna and Celestia both glowered at Sleipnir, and Pinkamena grunted before picking up a nearby textbook. She weighed it absently in her hooves, then slung it easily upwards, and it whacked off the invisible Cheshire, the creature losing its grip on the ceiling and falling with a yelp as it became visible again. It smashed down on top of Sleipnir before flailing wildly and babbling as the earth pony shoved wildly at Cheshire in return. “Damnation! Cease! Thy claws are tangled in my mane, my pretty mane!” Cheshire finally managed to fling himself backwards, and gemstones of all shape and size flew out of Sleipnir's mane as his head whiplashed and he rolled several times before banging loudly into a shelf and landing in an uncomfortable sprawl on his back. There was silence for a moment as he blinked a few times, then looked up dumbly before a pile of books spilled out over him, burying his features completely as his rear hooves kicked stupidly at the air. Celestia paused to reach down and pick up a particularly-large garnet that had landed near her hooves, studying it thoughtfully. “We never did have to struggle very hard for money with Sleipnir around. Pruning a few of his vines in his tail or mane always gave a small windfall, and the gemstones always grew back quickly. It's funny, though... Sleipnir's never had any real use for money.” “Except for whores and getting drunk.” Pinkamena muttered, and Celestia and Luna both shrugged as Pinkie Pie cleared her throat loudly before the demon rolled her eyes, tossing one last look at where Cheshire was once more half-hiding suspiciously in the corridor. “Anyway. Fun as that was, I'm gonna go do my job. Sissy, you come with me, you can tell me what shrinks I'm supposed to look for at CIMH.” Pinkie Pie smiled and nodded, turning to follow her twin happily out, and the pile of books over Sleipnir shifted before he finally managed to shove his head up out of the mess of fallen tomes, looking dumbly around. And Luna frowned curiously over her shoulder as Cheshire muttered: “All that is was and all that was is and nothing ever will be again.” “I wonder if his recitations have anything to do with his emotions... if they're random or if they're a way for him to express himself.” Celestia mused, and then she looked up with a small smile at the sight of Twilight Sparkle emerging from the top of the stairs uneasily, with Innocence hanging from the carrier at her side. Cheshire glanced up at the Lich and the baby curiously, but he seemed to no more remember that he had been hunting them than Innocence seemed to remember she had been hunted, now settled down, but looking a little fussy. Scrivener softened and slipped to the side as Twilight strode down the steps, and then the violet mare murmured: “Here. She's a little unhappy... I just... I thought some time with her father and Luna-Mommy might help.” “Aye, of course. We can go back upstairs if thou likes.” Luna invited, as Cheshire watched the group curiously, cocking his head. Twilight tossed an uneasy look at the Replicant, but after a moment she settled a bit, as Scrivener slipped the baby out of her carrier and Innocence burbled softly up at him, gazing into his eyes with her own big, beautiful amethysts. Celestia and Sleipnir both quietly cleaned up the library, and the ivory mare hesitantly attempted to introduce herself to Cheshire, and moreover, offered him several books, to judge his reactions. The Replicant seemed to be able to tell the difference between the books he was offered, often taking fairy tale books or children's stories, then paging through them... but he seemed to be getting a little agitated now by all the attention being paid to him, and the unfamiliar area, and Celestia's gentle but insistent probing at his psyche. Except then Celestia picked up one of the older fairy tale collections, and Cheshire just stared at it. His eyes followed it back and forth almost greedily when Celestia moved it through the air, and when she finally offered it to him, he almost snatched it away and cradled it up against his chest before turning and scurrying off with it to flop down on the bedding at the corner of the room. Twilight grumbled at this, but Scrivener and Luna both only smiled before the stallion laughed a little when Innocence began to flail at him. “Okay, okay. Putting you down, kiddo.” Twilight looked uneasy at this, but she nodded hesitantly, muttering: “Just... keep an eye on her. I'll go find her toys.” “We will.” Scrivener smiled up the stairs after her, as Luna huffed a bit and then hopped cheerfully beside Innocence, who giggled and scooted forwards a little. Luna smiled warmly at this, hopping again, and Innocence scooted next to her, while Celestia tried to neaten up the library with Sleipnir's less-than-helpful assistance. Luna wasn't even paying attention to where they were going, and Cheshire winced as she landed almost right beside him, Innocence scooting firmly forwards before she stared at the giant, and the behemoth, mutilated pony stared back, head raised from the book he'd been poring over. Then Innocence frowned curiously, reaching out and pawing at the bedding, and Cheshire shifted a little, his eyes studying the filly as Luna winced, and glanced nervously over her shoulder at Scrivener Blooms. The stallion made a face and pointed several times at the room at the top of the stairs, where Twilight was grumbling away, and Luna nodded hurriedly a few times before the mare turned her eyes back forwards... and saw with something like horror that Innocence had pulled herself up onto the bedding and was pawing at Cheshire. Cheshire was frozen, eyes locked on Innocence, tilting his head back and forth as if he was trying to remember something, think about something... and then Innocence yawned loudly, burbled quietly, and flopped over on the bedding, curling up beside the Replicant and closing her eyes to quietly go to sleep. Cheshire looked down at this... and then slowly, he shifted a little, settling carefully down and laying his head across one foreleg, curled up around the baby almost protectively. Celestia and Sleipnir were both staring, and Scrivener quietly approached as Luna trembled a little and smiled faintly, then swallowed back her emotions with a curse and muttered: “Damnation. Damn these motherly instincts. They have made a mockery of me.” Scrivener only laughed quietly, reaching up and silently rubbing her back before Twilight came down the stairs, and both ponies stared slowly over their shoulder at her as the Lich stared back, then glared at them horribly before storming forwards, one of her eyes twitching. They both shrank at her fury, and Twilight opened her mouth... then looked down and saw Innocence, safely curled up with the same creature that had pursued them only hours ago, and now was curled around her like protector and guardian with one broken hoof resting on a book of fairy tales, the other folded back and Innocence seeming to reach up towards this, all animosity between them forgotten. There was silence for a few moments... and then Twilight cursed under her breath herself even as she smiled faintly and sighed quietly, looking down at Cheshire's purple eyes. Eyes full of so much emotion, she thought, in spite of the madness and the mutilation... eyes the same color as hers, and her daughter's. And his stitching, and staples, and... those scars... The Lich reached up and silently touched her own breast, and then she sighed quietly before offering a faint smile to Cheshire. And in response, Cheshire seemed to settle and closed his eyes, Innocence curling a bit closer to the Replicant silently protecting her. Top ↑